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Monday, June 28, 2010

I want to take a few minutes here to show off Roberta Palmer's leaves.

Roberta creates leaves from concrete, casting them over the real thing. She makes a bed of sand to cushion a large leaf--gunnera, hosta, etc.--and then pours concrete over it. When it has set up completely, she paints the leaf, and it's ready to go out into the garden. That's where her artistic talent shines. I've seen a number of people who do this, but I've never seen anyone who does such an amazing job of painting the leaves. The look incredibly real.

Here's Roberta, horsing around at the Seeding Our Future show, held this year in Fowler Junior High, in Tigard. I admire Roberta for her perennial smile and cheerful attitude, in spite of life circumstances that could lead to a much drearier outlook.

If you live in the Portland area, look for Roberta at the Beaverton Farmer's Market, and other art/craft shows around town. I know she'll be doing Camp Cactus and Art in the 'Burbs. Camp Cactus hasn't yet published show info, but you can visit the Facebook fan page here: Camp Cactus.

Now, being able to purchase Roberta's leaves is wonderful, but that's not all you can do: Roberta gives classes. If this looks like something you'd like to try yourself, I don't think you could ask for a better teacher!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

I've been thinking about Dad a lot lately, and decided to repost for my very first Sunday Reruns a list I wrote for his eightieth birthday. Dad's been gone two and a half years now, but his memory still makes me smile. (He does still hang around the house. That may sound weird, but I know he's just watching over Mom, just as he promised he would.)

Nov. 3, 1999

We had a surprise party for Dad's eightieth birthday. Since Dad's friends and relatives are scattered all over the world, I sent out a request for messages and stories from anybody who could/would send them, reminisces of Dad. I made mine in the form of a list.

Thinking about Dad, I remember:

Singing in the carYodelling in the fieldsWatching out my bedroom window until he came up the walkPoetry read in front of the fireStomping down the beach in search of clamsUsing a car's hood, upside down, as a sleigh to drag behind the carHuckleberry pickingHome movies of the Easter bunnyChristmas Eves he slept in the hallCrossword puzzles at the breakfast table"Look it up!"Diving into the surfReading, reading, readingPickled pigs' feetFamily drives to nowhere in particularPlaying "Hearts" by the front doorSilverware storiesWord play"Sing a song with this word in it!""Think warm thoughts and you won't be cold."Our own, personal, weather forecasts (Dad was a meteorologist)Twenty-five cents each time we memorized a PsalmAgate hunting on the beachA pumpkin tree"Actions speak louder than words.""Do as I say, not as I do!""A wise old owl sat in an old oak...."Whistling"Come look what I've done on the computer.""What did your Mom say?" (That was when we were trying to get permission for something, lol.)Door-to-door everythingDigging potatoesHuckleberry pancakes with strange, unusual, syrupsTongue twistersLaughingTrying to extricate our hands from Dad's grip, a game I'm sure was a ploy to get a little rest, while we struggled ferociouslyLearning to hugBoxes of colored pencilsA weather balloon for us that filled the backseat of the car"Can't never did do anything."

Friday, June 25, 2010

Just a quick post to show off the purses I've been making from the little oval cigar boxes. They are so much fun to do, and I love how they each have their own distinctive personalities.

I love this last one, and had to shake my head in amaze and wonder when I saw what MizMollye had done with hers. You cannot, I mean absolutely Can Not tell me we aren't twins separated at birth!

Had to show the interior, too, on this one. Mary Pickford is the woman on the outside. You can read her film credits on the inside! (Did you know that she played both Little Lord Fauntleroy and his mother in the film of that name?! Me, neither.)

I'm having such fun going through the Blogerette Sisters' Rush posts--what an amazing and creative bunch of women (so far they're all women, but then I guess Sisters would be). I'm wanting to go see more, but it's after eleven, and I'll need to be at tomorrow's show no later than 7:30 tomorrow morning. (*yawn*)

Oh! If you live in the Portland/Vancouver area come visit me at the Vancouver Recycled Arts Festival this weekend! Lots and LOTS of recycled art, live music, the farmer's market a stroll away, playground for the kiddies, fountain to wade in--it's a great way to spend the day!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

I've never been in an actual sorority, or particularly wanted to be, but it looks like the time has come. I've been accepted as a Sister Bloggerette, and today is *RUSH* day! (Want to join? Just click on the button at the upper left of this page to find out how!)

Our Rush assignment was to take this photo

and make something with it, anything we pleased. When we'd done that, we were to frame the piece and put it into our Rush pots. The one rule: You had to have a picture of yourself somewhere in the post.

Now, my printer's out of color ink, and I didn't really have time to work with tangible bits and pieces in the construction, which made following the letter of the law a tad difficult, but hey, I'm teaching myself Photoshop one project at a time. This was a natural.

Here's my finished piece:

Sooooo....uhmm...I'm the one with the glasses! To see it better, just click on it, and it will enlarge. I hope when I can get ink for the printer to really print this out, but for now, this was the best I could do!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Shhh! Don't jinx this now. I think, maybe, I hope, summer has arrived!

There's some good evidence to support the thought:

The temperature got up to nearly eighty today

I made strawberry leather, and didn't have to use the oven

I wore shorts for the first time this year

And the flowers in the yard are going nuts. Must be the two record-breaking months of rain we just had. A stroll through the yard was called for.

Looking down the walk inside the gate

Click on the photos to see them large, as per usual.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get pictures of the ten (count 'em, ten!) new Teakettle Characters. For now I'll just tell you what an odd sensation it was this morning to walk into the kitchen and see all those pairs of eyes looking at me! Kinda cool, but weird, too.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

This month's featured Etsy blogger is one special lady, Sharla, aka Beaded Tail, on Etsy and in her blog.

Sharla's Etsy store is full of things I love, so I'll show you a few of them:

Now, as you can see, Sharla has a great eye for color and form, and the skill needed to combine beads and wire into wearable art. What's even better is this: Sharla loves animals. Her blog is largely devoted to her furry friends and family, and a part of the proceeds from every sale she makes goes to organizations and charities that help animals.

Friday, June 18, 2010

It's blog carnival time for us Etsy Bloggers. We get two subject choices each time, and I've chosen to answer the question: What are your goals? Short term? Long term?

Ah, yes, goals. Right now I'm totally focused on Mom's moving sale, and getting as much of her stuff sold as possible.

I type that, and it doesn't sound like much of a goal, but factoring in the work involved, all of a sudden it feels like my life's work. Just kidding! I think that's just how focus affects you--everything else fades into the background (where it lurks, leaping out at you from time to time to take bites out of your psyche, turning you into a quivering mass of "How-will-I-ever-get-all-this-done's"!)

Now I know what you're thinking: "But you already did that!" Well, yeah. But that was in April, and it was Step 1. This is June, and we're on Step 2. Believe it or not, I think there's more this time!

In spite of the fact that we had a very good sale in April, we hadn't yet delved the depths of either the garage or the office. When Mama starting pulling out stuff in those areas, she discovered even more glass, and all of the crafting supplies.

There are piles of quilt squares and fabrics, and yards and yards and yards of lace and trim, plus dozens and dozens of other supplies.

Tomorrow is the kick-off for this round. Sunday at 5, we'll wrap it up.

It's a very short-term goal, but it works for me, and will be followed by others: Get home and use the next three days to get ready for the two shows I'm doing next weekend. This will be the second time I've done two shows at the same time, running back and forth between towns an hour's drive apart to set up and tear down, and be present for as much of each show as possible. Thank goodness, my daughter is subbing for me Saturday at one, while I do the other. I may not want to do that again. We'll see.

Now, if we could just sell Mama's house while we're doing the moving sale....Man, that would be awesome!

By the way, this is Mama:

I think you can see just by looking at her photo why I love her so much and why this is all very much a labor of love.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I'm at Mama's old place again, gearing up for Round 2 of the Incredibly Large, Amazingly Varied Moving Sale. (Pictures to come, probably tomorrow.)

Bob and I drove down early this afternoon, as usual stopping at Stanley Grenfeld Park (not sure about the spelling there) to walk the dog. We strolled the perimeter of the park, and were headed back to the car, when I spotted a red and white croquet ball in the grass, partly under a small bush, out of sight from the main area of the park. Lost. Found. In my hand.

My camera was hanging from it's strap around my neck. A portrait session was born.

One of the nice things about doing the photos was that the locations for posing The Red Ball were all over the park. Bob was talking on his cell phone, but that wasn't going to last long, I was sure, and the minute he was off the phone he'd want to be back on the road. Ceili and I ran to each spot, which was much better exercise than the stroll had been. Yes!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Once in a while I notice how closely related the words "decadence" and "decay" are. Yesterday, walking past the bed where the calla lilies are almost finished with their blooming was one of those times.

Sometimes decay is almost as lovely, and nearly almost more interesting, than the first blush of beauty.

I took some time to explore their forms:

The last photo looks to be a duplicate of one above, but I've applied filters to it. Click on it, and you'll see it as a painting rather than a photo.